The only guest I can ask for is the YouTube Let's Player NicoB (NicoB7700)! He is most well known for his 40ish various voices that he plays on his channel and for getting people into various gaming franchises, most notably Danganronpa. Other games include Ace Attorney, Persona 4 and 5, and Kingdom Hearts. His fan base, the Picky Penguins, is arguably one of the most dedicated and caring of them all since Nico tries to be as personal as he possibly can by directly addressing people's comments from previous uploads! He has just begun selling official picky penguins as merchandise! Additionally, his videos have led to popular memes in a substantial number of video games series, particularly the "hope bagels" of Komaeda from Danganronpa 2 (despite bagels not appearing in the game at all!).

Since the theme of Fanime this upcoming year is gaming, I think he would make an excellent guest, especially since Danganronpa V3, Kingdom Hearts 3, and Persona 5 will be big topics next year! Above all, NicoB has admitted to never attending an anime convention before in his life. It would be absolutely amazing for him to come, and I'm sure no one will ever regret it!

An even bigger long shot than my request for Cibo Matto for Musicfest but.....

Shinya Arino - Japanese comedian and media personality probably best known these days as the star of GameCenter CX. For a convention such as FanimeCon with the theme for 2018 as gaming, there is no better guest of honor you could hope to have. GameCenter CX is a celebration of Japanese video gaming, gaming culture, classic gaming lifestyle, video game related skits, just everything wonderful about classic gaming and the peak of the Japanese video game industry as a whole. At present, GameCenter CX has run for 14 years and is in the middle of its 21st season.

The show has a massive following in the USA, after a rough start with a handful of episodes loosely localized by Kotaku and released as RetroGame Master. At the end of this run, GameCenter CX actually had a USA trip, visiting San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2011. Desiring a more complete and accurate experience, a number of fan translation groups began translating episodes, most famously the Something Awful GCCX Team (SA-GCCX). SA-GCCX developed a wonderful relationship with the show, staff, and production company. The head translator for SA-GCCX eventually re-translated the Kotaku package episodes and others for the official RetroGame Master GameCenter CX Collection North American DVD boxset. SA-GCCX continues to fan translate episodes to this day. Additionally the first of the three GameCenter CX video games had an official localized release in North America as RetroGame Master, itself a celebration of gaming with friends.

Again, I'm sure it's a total long shot but it would be awesome if FanimeCon could make an attempt to get the Kacho back to the states for one more challenge. Show cameraman Kouichi Abe would be a pretty big draw as well, I'm sure.

Alternately -

Mamoru Oshii - visionary writer, director, and master craftsman of the anime that makes you think as it entertains you. Honestly I'm sure a great deal of Fanime attendees are already familiar with the man and his works. Storyboard artist on the Urusei Yatsura anime, as well as the director of the first two films - and writer on the second, Beautiful Dreamer. Directed Dallos, essentially the first OVA ever created. Worked briefly with Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki before bailing due to creative differences (some of Oshii's musings about Miyazaki are hilarious, true opinions from someone in the trench of anime production). Founded studio Headgear and created Mobile Police Patlabor in 1988. In 1995 Oshii created what is generally regarded to be the high point in the Ghost In The Shell productions, the original animated film adaptation. He's continued to be very active to this day, contentiously one of the most influential writers and directors not just in anime and manga, but in film and popular culture. Patlabor 2 The Movie being one of the greatest, if not the single greatest outright, anime film ever created.

2018 will be the 30th anniversary of the first Mobile Police Platlabor OVA (early days), with an upcoming new series (Patlabor EZY) on the horizon. Additionally I can't think of a time when Ghost In The Shell was more (for good or bad) in the public mainstream. I know it's a pretty big stretch but I can't think of a bigger name to have as a guest of honor. He's a terribly busy man so I know it is a total shot in the dark.

Tsukasa Hojo - Creator of Cat's Eye, City Hunter, and Angel Heart. No big over-reaching reason here other than I really like the man's works. More or less the guardian of slick, stylized action manga with heart. Dashing men, glamorous women, and over the top adventures with extraordinary people. Everything he creates is chock full of humor yet very serious at the same time. Not as well-known in the West as he should be, but a lot of the anime adaptations of his work have been released subtitled over the years. Most recent being Cat's Eye by Discotek. The second Angel Heart manga series concluded in 2017, so if this was ever going to happen, I figured now would be the best chance.

An even bigger long shot than my request for Cibo Matto for Musicfest but.....

Shinya Arino - Japanese comedian and media personality probably best known these days as the star of GameCenter CX. For a convention such as FanimeCon with the theme for 2018 as gaming, there is no better guest of honor you could hope to have. GameCenter CX is a celebration of Japanese video gaming, gaming culture, classic gaming lifestyle, video game related skits, just everything wonderful about classic gaming and the peak of the Japanese video game industry as a whole. At present, GameCenter CX has run for 14 years and is in the middle of its 21st season.

Holy crap I didn't expect anyone else to want a comedian to come!! It would be freaking awesome with Arino could come!!

I haven't thought that far ahead, but in the same vein of Japanese comedians, perhaps Mr. Yuji Ayabe? Starting this year he left Japan to focus on an acting career in America. He's acted in a few dramas, but Kamen Rider is a big hit when I look him up.

So far, Fanime only has one guest that I'm interested in (Satomi Sato) and she is (sadly) not enough to make me fly all the way from the East coast for... So hopefully you guys will be able to invite at least 1 more from my long list of 40+ guests to make the trip more worthwhile!!

Studio TRIGGER - This is a no-brainer. Super popular panels. I went to other conventions that hosted them and they always bring great crowds. (I would love to see Sushio or Yoh Yoshinari but any TRIGGER staff is fine with me )

Minako Kotobuki - Voice Actress. Since you're bringing Ritsu from K-On, can you also bring Tsumugi? Pretty please She also voiced Natsu in Baby Steps and Asuka from Hibike! Euphonium.

Shinichi Nakamura - Producer. Maybe go big and invite the producer of K-On while you're at it? He also worked on popular titles like Free!, CLANNAD, Kanon, AIR, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, and Beyond the Boundary!

Voltron I believe has gotten pretty big, so having the voice actors/actresses of the show would be pretty amazing. Such as Jeremy Shada (plus he’s Finn’s va in adventure time), bex Taylor-Klaus (she’s not only a voice actress but is an actress in many live action projects including Arrow), josh Keaton (he’s a plays a very active role as a va in multiple animated series such as: Voltron legendary defender, Norman Osborn in Spider-Man, children of ether, a LOT of DC animated series like Justice League, Green latern, and young justice to name a few), Kimberly brooks (voice actress voices for projects, besides Voltron, such as mass effect 3, avengers assemble, Sofia the first, South Park and more), Steven yeun (he’s working on a korean drama tho so who knows, but seriously, he is amazing. He was on walking dead *may Glenn Rest In Peace ;-;*, and many voice overs for video games and animated series), Tucker Labine (not only a va but live action actor as well and has been in multiple projects), Rhys Darby (because hes coran coran the gorgeous man... (•-•*))Welp, thank you for your time have a wonderful day!!

Yoko Hikasa - Voice Actress. Can I say Queen? Rias in High School DxD, Mio in K-On!, Diana in Little Witch Academia, Stephanie in NGNL. If you get her, I guarantee all her fanboys are going to come cause MIO!!

Mamoru Miyano - Voice Actor. Taichi in Chihayafuru, Light in Death Note, Rin in Free!, Chrollo in HxH, Setsuna in Gundam00, Okabe in Stein;Gates, Shuu in Tokyo Ghoul, and the list goes on. Insanely popular VA.